Newsletter

Strategic Intent:

At Our Lady’s School, we aim to strengthen our Catholic community through: fostering respectful relationships; clear, strategic faith-filled leadership; and our commitment to professional pedagogical excellence that is founded upon our deep knowledge, collegiality, effective teamwork and our Gospel inspired dedication to the learning and wellbeing of each child.

Education in Faith

That students understand and make more meaningful, relevant connections between the Catholic story and their own lives.

That staff develop their capacity to design and implement a contemporary RE curriculum.

Leadership and Management

That staff teamwork and ownership of the Vision and educational priorities of the school will improve

Learning and Teaching

That student learning outcomes will improve.

Student Wellbeing

That the wellbeing of all students will improve.

School Community

That the home/ school partnership is strengthened to the benefit of student learning outcomes. 

Welcome back everyone, it has been great chatting with you all in the playground and seeing all our beautiful students happy to be back at school. I take this opportunity to especially welcome our Foundation students; Mia, Asher, Evie, Olivia, Lily, Annabelle, Georgie, Edwina, Edie, Jacob, Liam, Sorcha, Dean, Raaj, Arthur, Macy, Evelyn, Leo, Liam, Charlotte, William and Trinity.

We also welcome Remi, Tomas, Evie and Freddie to Our Ladys’, we hope that you have already felt the warmth and welcome of our community.

We hope that you and your family have had an enjoyable and refreshing holiday season and are looking forward to the 2021 academic year. The partnership between school and home is a very important one. I encourage you to contact your child’s classroom teacher via email if you have any questions or concerns. Your class representatives will play an important role in keeping you up to date with social activities and general reminders. The school newsletter will also provide you with valuable information about what’s happening at school and a platform to publish student learning. Please take the time to read it.

Each term, every year level will distribute a Newsletter that will outline the curriculum focus, important dates, home learning expectation and general reminders.

As we begin 2021 with COVID restrictions still remaining in place, we have made a change to our morning routines. As parents are still unable to enter the school  buildings in large gatherings, our teachers will be available to greet the children and chat to you in the playground in the morning. This is why the students are unable to enter the classrooms before the bell. It is essential for safety reasons that students are supervised at all times, and with staff outside at this time, it is not possible.

It has also presented additional benefits by providing an inclusive way to begin the school day and make any announcements to the school community.

In the coming weeks there are a number of school events l draw your attention to. On the 24th and 25th February, we will host our Parent/Teacher Chats. This will be an opportunity for parents to meet individually with their child's classroom teacher and talk through your hopes and expectations for the year ahead. They are also a lovely way to build a positive relationship with your child's teacher. A link will soon be placed on the app for you to schedule a time for this meeting.

We look forward to you participating in all our traditional events this year, such as swimming, camp, interschool sports, incursions and excursions and lots of other great activites, provided they are done in a  COVID safe manner.

As Principal, I warmly invite your feedback and suggestions regarding school improvement. Through the year there will be opportunities to be involved in community conversations that will provide the chance for parents and teachers to work together in partnership - always focusing on attaining the best possible outcomes for our students. 

School life is busy, and at the end of the day it is important to stop and think about what we are grateful for. There is great power in asking ourselves these very simple questions as the sun sets on our day. For me, when my family come together, which is not as often as it use to be because they are not as little as they once were, but we still begin dinner with this tradition.

Who are you most grateful for and why?

What are you looking forward to most about tomorrow?

Maybe give it a try!

Have a great week everyone.

Annie

Information regarding your child's learning and other important dates will be shared with you next week via a Year Level Newsletter. This information will supplement the learning that is shared on SEESAW and google sites. 

In the meantime please contact your childs classroom teacher via email if you have any concerns.

The Parish Education Board (PEB) will meet for the first time later this month. The Board acts as an advisory body to the Principal on matters concerning education in the school. It is important to know that I encourage all parents to feel free to talk to me about any issues that are concerning them or in contrast, the things that we are doing well.  I value our partnership and openly encourage feedback.

The PEB members for 2021 are as follows;

Fr Brendan Reed ( Parish Priest), Clare Hicks ( Deputy Principal), Jane Edge (Chairperson), AiMe Lim ( Secretary,)Fiona Feenaghty (PFA President), Year Level Representatives are Katerine Rellos, Andrea Belmonte and Madeleine Jones.

Please feel welcome to share your idea's for school improvment with any of the PEB members.

Following the Government's announcement regarding new statewide restrictions that came into effect at 11.59pm on Wednesday 3rd February, there are new guidance updates for schools regarding the wearing of masks.

Children under the age of 12 years of age at primary school or attending an OHSC program are still not required to wear a face mask.

School staff are not required to wear a face mask while teachng or caring , but those who wish to do so, can. Staff must wear face masks in indoor areas of the school when not teaching or caring.

VIsitors (parents) to school sites must wear masks when indoors.

Hand sanitiser will remain available throughout the school and high touch areas will be cleaned regulary.

Parents are permitted on site but must not enter the classrooms at this stage. We are asking that you are not onsite for longer than 15 minutes.

If your child has any COVID-19 symptoms, please follow Government guidelines and remain home until symptoms cease. Also, please advise the school if your family is impacted by border restrictions or is undertaking home based quarantine.

Many of our families have welcomed puppies over the recent months which is wonderful because we know the benefits of having a dog as part of the family. I do wish to bring to your attention some safety protocols that we must abide by for the wellbeing and safety of our school community. 

• Any dog or other animals brought onto school grounds must be appropriately restrained at all times. This must be on a short (non-extendable) lead and restrained by a person at least 16 years of age who is able to restrain the animal. 
• Owners of dogs and/or other animals on school grounds must comply with all relevant local council regulations & other statutory provisions such as the Victorian Domestic Animals Act 1994. 
• Always be mindful that children are the first priority in a school environment and that some children are unfamiliar and/or afraid of dogs & other animals.
• Assess the temperament & demeanour of their animal before entering the school grounds and are requested not to enter the school grounds if the animal is not suited to an environment where children are present.
• Animals with a difficult temperament and who are fearful, timid or dominant should not be brought onto the school grounds at any time.
• Take responsibility for the care of the animal.
• Not leave dogs or other animals tied-up and/or left unattended at any time.

Thank you for your cooperation.

‘Watch this space! New tuckshop system coming to Our Lady’s in a few weeks!’

Thank you to our parents that have voluntered to be class reps this year. 

Prep: Lisa Grant, Kat Brosolo, Joanna Kelly

Year 1 /2 C: Kasia De Costa, Emma Ryan

Year 1 /2 L: Jess Campbell, Laura Edgcumbe

Year 3 /4 L: Rach Voshege, Melissa Pellegrini

Year 3 /4 N: Marjie Langford, Rach Glass

Year 3 /4 L: Emma Lynch, Elaine Hanlon

Year 5 /6 H&L : Daniela Greening, Cath Bergan, Steph Johnson

Please see attached below information regarding Our Lady's School Uniform, including how to order online and the uniform price list.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Uniform Orders are filled on Mondays.
• Please order Uniform Orders thru CDF.
• To keep costs low we are only stocking limited quantities across the Range. If items are not available please allow a 2 week turn around to allow time for items to be ordered and delivered from our Supplier.
• If you need to try on Uniforms for size this can also be done on Mondays unless other arrangements have been made with Krista.
• If you have any queries, please email Krista on uniformshop@olsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au

All students attending Our Lady’s Primary School have the right to feel safe and be safe. The highest possible standard of care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school community.